Teachers can use AI to save time on marking – new DfE guidelines

The Department for Education (DfE) recently issued new guidance encouraging the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce teacher workload. As reported by the BBC, AI can help automate routine tasks such as marking and writing letters and resources. It’s a step in the right direction but also one that demands precision, transparency, and, above all, trust.

The Problem with Generative AI in Marking

The DfE’s guidance is careful and clear: any use of AI in marking must be reviewed by teachers. Why? Mainstream generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have the potential to “hallucinate”, meaning they can generate responses that are confident yet inaccurate or completely fabricated.

Many popular AI tools today rely on generative AI, and that’s a serious risk in an educational setting. Inaccurate feedback can confuse students, undermine trust in the system, and even widen achievement gaps if unchecked.

Graide’s AI Is Different: No Hallucinations, Just Accuracy

Graide’s AI is not generative, not LLM-based. Instead, it’s designed specifically for assessment in education. Consider it as an automated process that is structured and grounded in evidence. It speeds up marking by identifying patterns, applying consistent rules, and using rubrics to assess responses in ways that teachers can review and control.

Teachers maintain control at all times. They can edit, approve, or override the AI’s suggestions, giving them more time to focus on pedagogical decisions, not repetitive admin.

So How Does Graide Work?

Aligned to rubrics: Graide uses pre-set mark schemes and models to ensure marking is criteria-driven.

Transparent and traceable: every AI-generated comment is linked to student evidence, ensuring teachers can verify it instantly.

No generative text: Graide does not create freeform responses. It classifies and matches student responses based on rigorously tested logic.

We built our model to assist teachers, not to replace them. Teachers can adjust feedback and scoring in seconds.

The result? Accurate, scalable, and fair assessment without the fear of “hallucinated” feedback.

Supporting the DfE’s Vision: Safely

We fully support the DfE’s push for AI to “cut workloads” and “free teachers from paperwork”.

The future of education will involve AI. That’s not up for debate. But the kind of AI we use matters.

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